Machine for necktie manufacture



Oct. 3, 1944. CH F TR 2,359,333

MACHINE FOR NECKTIE MANUFACTURE Filed April 17, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l ITMRNEY INVENIOR. v JOSEPH fiCH/FTER 1944- J..SCHIFTER 2,359,333

MACHINE FOR NECKTIE MANUFACTURE Filed April 17;, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORA/fy Oct. 3, 1944.- J. SCHIFTER 2,359,333

MACHINE FQR NECKTIE MANUFACTURE Filed April 17, 1941 :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOSEPH SCH/FTER A 7TORNE Y Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE MACHINE FOR NECKTIE UFACTUR Joseph Schiftr, New York, N. Y assignor to ColumbiaBlindstitch Machine (30., Inc'., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York I Application April 17, 1941, Serial No. 388,934

('Cl. II2I36) 1'0 Clailiisi This invention relates to machines for neck-tie manufacture;

In the manufacture of a neck-tie by means of a sewing machine to produce a finished article which has substantially the appearanceo'f ahand sewed neck-tie, one of the problems arises from the fact that the several pieces of fabric which are required to make up such a neck-tie usually do not have rectilinear edges. For instance, both body fabric and lining usually take on an mega: lar, rather than a regular, formation; If only the body fabric were to be' considered; it could be stitched on a* sewing Irrachin'e, and-then it could be turned on a stick. Such stitching could even be done on an ordinary straight stitch sewing machine. Hov'vever; the lining, an important partof any" neck -tie, presents a problem, especially if it must be incorporated into the finished n'eck-' tie'by means of a stitch which, at the outside face of thefinished article, will appear as'if the neck"- tie were made by handstit'ching or,-infact, will not be apparent at all. r

The lining, which has for its purpose to' im-- part body to what ordinarily would" be nothing more than a piece of silk or'similar material, in order to provide'body'at the knot, and; of course,- to retain the rest of the'tiein shape, is'usually cut in a single piece, and has 'a shap'e'clo'sely'follow-' ing the final shape of the finished neck-tie; course, the lateral edges of the finished neck-tie usually are not rectilinear, or, at least, not par allel one to the otheri Yet, in.the finished prodnot, the lining must be" secured to the body fabric;

and the stitching which holdsthe lining to the body fabric mustbe elastic to accommodate for the distortions of lining and body fabric'both relatively to each other and alon'gwith each other'as' the neck-tie is made up for wear. The elasticity" of the lining must be transmitted to thebody fabric, and the lining mustdispo'se'dso' that it will diste'n'd substantially the same amount a's the tie itself. Finally,- the liiieof :Stitchingto secure lining and body fabric together has" been found to be most effectivewhen disposed sub' stantially along'the center-linearthe lining. The

able guiding means roruse 'with a sewing'machine" by means of which lining and body material for a neck-tie may be -guided pro'perly'and simul taneously so that, by means of a single stitching means," a plurality of layers will stitched together so that they" maybe turned o'n 'a stick to present body fabric and lining of a neck-tie properly disposed and secured together, with the lining anchored elastically to the bod fabric by a line of stitching following substantially along a straight line so disposed that a substantially uniform tension will be. imparted to the body fabric by the stitching. Such line may be an axis of symmetry for the lining, and, also, for the neck tie. Thus, the lining will tend to pull the body fabric of the neck-tie into proper shape along that axis.

The lining generally is a coarsely woven fabric; cut in the shape of the neck-tie, but usually cut on the bias to increase its elasticity Whenbuilt into the neck-tie. The outer boundaries of such a lining usually are not parallel to each other, but are actually symmetrically disposed with-relation to an axis extending lengthwise of the lining. A problem presented in making up the neck-tie is to guide that lining so that, as it andthe body ma terial are stitched together, the line of stitching will be substantially along the" axis of symmetry of the lining. It is an object of the inventionto provide guiding meahs for use in conjunction with a sewing machine by which, as the body fabric is guided, the lining will be required to' move continuously in a path in relation to that same stitching means such that the stitches se-' cured in the lining will follow a straight line path which will be substantially the aXisof sym metry of the lining.

Thus, asthe liningand body fabric are fed to the same stitching means, and the lining isstit'ched to the body fabric by means of the line of stitching may then be useful for detersame single straight line of stitching, the lining;

is caused to be aflixed to thebody fabric ,inoa: definite relation; In the" final result, when the fabrics so stitched together are turned, the line of stitching will be positioned'in symmetrical relation to both edges of the lining. That same mining the shape of thetieitself, as, in the final pressing operation, that line of stitching may be restricted to anyparticular construction, orto'any particular arrangement of" parts,- or to any par ticular application of any such construction or any such arrangement of parts, or toany specific method of operation, or to any ofthevarious'dee tails thereof, even where specifically shown and described herein, as the same may be modified in various particulars, or may be applied in many varied relations, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, practical con- 'structions embodying certain details of the invention being illustrated and described, but only for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the statutes for disclosure of an operative embodiment, but without attempting to disclose all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

On the drawings, in which the same reference characters refer to the sam parts throughout, and in which are disclosed such practical constructions:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the bed of a sewing machine upon which has been mounted means in accordance with the invention for neck-tie manufacture, parts of the sewing machine being shown in cross-section;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the portions of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, the stitching mechanism and the feeding mechanism of the sewing machine also being shown;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a neck-tie, shown diagrammatically to illustrate the arrangement of the lining in relation to the body fabric;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lining of a necktie;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic end view showing the relationship of body fabric, tape and lining during the stitching operation;

Fig. 6 is a plan view, to enlarged scale, of guiding mechanism for, association with a sewing machine, such as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the guiding means being broken away to disclose the relationship of the several parts thereof;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the guiding means shown in Fig. 6, parts of the plate being broken away in cross-section;

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 6, a part of the machine bed being shown in dot-and-dash lines to clarify the arrangement of the parts when assembled;

Fig. 9 is a view, similar to Fig. 6, of a guiding means of modified construction, a part of the bed of the sewing machine being shown by dotand-dash lines;

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view, substantially on the line I0--I0 of Fig. 9, the bed not being shown;

' Fig. 11 is a plan view of a further modified construction of the guiding means, shown to smaller scale than the devices of Figs. 6 and 9;

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of the construction shown in Fig. 11; and V Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view, substantially on the line I3I3 of Fig. 11,

For the purpose of illustrating an application of principles of the invention, a portion of a sewing machine II) has been illustrated. Machine I0 may be of any desired type, and may include suitable stitching means I2 associated with suitable fabric feeding means I4, which may be effective so that, as feeding means I4 moves fabric over a bed I6 of machine ID, that fabric is moved to, into stitching relation to, and then past, stitching means I2. A particular type of sewing machine found desirable for the purposes of the invention is that sometimes known as the saddlestitch machine, as, for instance, a machine such as illustrated in the application of Joseph Schifter, filed on the 2d day of February, 1940, Serial No. 316,892, which requires no extended description here.

Tie I8 may consist of body fabric 20, which generally has a suitable surface ornamentation or design. Fabric 20 may be cut in order to emphasize the pattern of that surface ornamentation, but the shape of the piece of body fabric is usually such that, when properly folded into the finished tie, the opposed ends of the tie will have diverging edges 22, 24, 26, and 28. Such divergence of the edges raises a problem of guiding with relation to an ordinary sewing machine where the line of stitching is not to be parallel to any of those edges.

The shape of tie I8, as defined by edges 22, 24, 26, and 28, is also substantially the shape of lining 30. Now, while body fabric 20 may be turned over on itself to bring edges 32 and 34 of the body fabric together, so that these edges may be stitched to each other to form a tube, that same stitching, if the neck-tie is to be formed by a single stitching operation, must also be engaged with lining 30, and substantially along the axis of symmetry 36 of the lining, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Thus, body fabric 20 may be prepared for stitching merely by folding the body fabric on itself to bring edges 32 and 34 together, in which case these edges will define a straight line paralleling the line of stitching 38 to be formed and the folded fabric may be ironed into the shape of the tie. Then the body fabric may be stitched by line of stitching 38 in proper relation as both edges 32 and 34 are simultaneously guided against a suitable straight line or edge guide 40. However, lining 30 cannot be guided in the same manner at the same instant. Lining 30 cannot be folded to be stitched as the stitches in lining 30 must produce no permanent projection nor fold in the fabric. The stitching in the lining may not be effective as a deterrent against the usual elasticity and firmness of the lining material when it is in its flat condition. Thus, in the general method of making a tie by handstitching through edges 32 and 34, and then centrally along axis 36, the manual operator controls the direction of her needle without mechanical guides, except possibly a pencil line on the lining, and, in most cases, not even that. But, in machine operation, positive uides are essential at the speeds involved.

In conjunction with machine I0, guiding means.

42 is shown to function for guiding lining 30 to stitching means I2 as edges 32 and 34 are being properly guided to the same stitching means. In Figs. 2, 6, '7 and 8, one form of that guiding means is disclosed. Bed I6, which may have the usual needle plate 44, ends normally at a front edge 46. In the form which guiding means 42 takes in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, an auxiliary plate 48 is secured to bed I6. Plate 48 may have a pair of openings 50 through which capscrews 52 or similar devices may extend to bolt plate 48 securely to the bed. An edge 54 of plate 48 is thus disposed to terminate immediately above the bed, but the main portion of the plate extends beyond edge 46 and clear of the bed.

Plate 48, at a distance from edge 46, may be built up by an integral portion, or, as shown, by another plate 56. In this case, plate 56 extends beyond plate 48 to a degree sufficient to position a free top surface 58 of plate 56 substantially in the same plane as top surface 60 of bed I6 and needleplate 44. Thus, fabric fed over surface 58 and across opening 62 between over surface 60, defines a passage I4 between it,

and surface 60. Plate 64, which may have no function other than to support fabric, and, with plate 56, to form passage I4 for guiding a tape I6, may be of thinner stock than plates 48 and 56.

Tape I6 may be one of the desired constituents A of tie I8. In making tie I8, a piece of tape I6 may be stitched in together with lining 30 and body fabric 20. This tape is useful to increase the effective elasticity of the lining material, and to increase the body of the tie at the position where the seam formed by line of stitching 38 holds the lining, the tape, and the body fabric together. Tape I6, which may have rectilinear side edges I8, and may thus be capable of easy guiding, may be positioned to move over plate 56. As will more clearly appear from the further discussion, tape I6, until it is about to be stitched to the fabrics, is kept separated from those other fabrics so that each can be guided independently to stitching means I2 without any one of the fabrics causing distortion of the other fabrics from the properly guided relationship. This separation, in the instance of the tape, is effected by reason of the: fact that the tape moves entirely within passage I4, plates 56 and 64 keeping the tape separated from the other materials during the initial guiding stages.

A pin 80 may be fixed in plate 56 and extend .neously with the tape.

Any suitable edge guide 40 may serve to guide the body fabric properly with relation to the stitching means. The edge guide may have a slot 94. The guide is positioned on plate 64 so that a screw 96, fixed in plate 64, extends through the slot, and so that a knurled nut 98, engaged on screw 96, may serve to retain the guide in any position to which the guide may be adjusted. The body fabric, during the stitching operation, may be folded with the wrong side out, edges 32 and 34 being brought together, one above the other, and those edges being brought to bear together against guiding face I00 of guide 40.

Lining 30 must be guided independently of both tape I6 and body fabric 20. For thispurpose, a wall [02 may be fixed to extend from bottom face I04 of plate 56. Wall I02 may be welded or otherwise secured to face I04 at an edge of the wall so that wall I02 extends substantially perpendicularly downwardly from plate 56 and also substantial y at right angles to the direction of feed of tape and body fabric.

towards plate 64. Thi pin may extend into and fit in an opening 82 in plate 64, but without binding and thus without requiring a tight fit. This pin may thus be guarded not to engage thetape as it is guided to the stitching means. Pin 80 provides a boundary edge against which tape I6 may bear as the tape is moved to stitching means I2 by feeding means I4. Cooperating with pin 80 to keep the tape accurately in line is another pin 84, which may be spaced from pin 80 substantially the width of tape I6. Pin 84 may be fixed in plate 56, and extend towards plate 64. However, to simplify the step of placing tape I6 initially in position to be fed to the stitching means, pin 84 is formed with .a truncated top 86. The top point 88 of the truncated top 86 extends above the levelof bottom face 90 of plate 64. This is made possible by providing an opening 92 in plate 64 at a position so that top point 88 of pin 84 may extend thereinto.

To 86 is cut so that its downward slope is in an outward direction. Thus tape I6 may be slid between plates 56 and 64, up to pin 84, and then over top 86, warping itself up into opening 92 until it is past pin 84. Then the tape will have assumed a position in which the edges of the tape are between and engage against pin 80 and 84. Thereafter the tape, as it is fed to the stitching mechanism, will Ibe retained by the two pins against lateral displacement. At the same time, the tape is not permitted to free itself from the pins, as top point 88, extending beyond the bounds of face 90, is effective for that purpose.

Body fabric 20 may be disposed on top of plate 64 to be fed to the stitching mechanism imulta- The bottom edge I06 of the wall is cut away to provide an arch-shaped recess I 08. The topmost portion of recess I08 in this case is defined by a straight edge IIO disposed substantially parallel to plate 56. Edge I I0 together with small downwardly directed edges II2 form a small recess I I4. The length of edge H0, and, therefor of recess H4, is somewhat greater than the narrowest portion of lining 30, but somewhat less than the dimension at the widest portion of the lining. Beyond edges II2, the bounds of wall I02 are determined by a pair of edges H6 and H8 which diverge symmetrically from edges I I2. The divergence may be along a curvilinear line, and may be equal at the same distance along edges H6 and H8 from face I04. Edge II6 may beintersected by, and cut off to join with, a downwardly directed edge I 20. Edge I20 may serve as a guiding surface against which an operator may press lining 30 as the material is moved into its feeding position relative to recess I08 and Downwardly directed leg I22 of bracket I2 is positioned in advance of wall I02. Leg I22 provides means for supporting an arm I24 in a predetermined relation to wall I02. Arm I24 may be carried on a pivot I26, which may be provided by a screw having a knurled head. The threaded portion of the screw may be projected through an opening I28 in leg I22 to be engaged in a threaded opening I30 in arm I24, Thus, when the screw is properly manipulated, the arm will be drawn up tightly against bracket leg I22, as the head of the screw engages against the face of the bracket, and thus will serve to anchor arm I24 in an adjusted relationship to leg I22. A bar I32 may be carried at the outer end of arm I24; the bar may, with the exception of its end I34, be substantially cylindrical in form. Bar I32 may be tapered at its end I34 in order to provide suitable cooperation with edge I20 as lining 30 is guided into position in recess I08. Bar I32, by manipulating pivot I26 and arm I 24, may be moved towards and away from the edges defining recesses I08 and I I4, and thus cause greater or less distortion of the fabric moving between the bar and the edges, and, therefore, govern the tension exerted upon the lining as it moves over the edges to the stitching means. Edge IIO may be beveled, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8; such a knife-like formation has been found to function more effectively for guiding material in the manner here described.

As shown in Fig. 2, lining 30, after being pushed between end I34 and edge I20, rests on top of bar I32. It is extended through recesses I08 and I I4 and opening 62, and then upon bed I6. When the fabric is being pulled by the feeding means, it can be seen that the fabric will tend not to hang slack, but to have a definite formation derived from tension in the portions between bar I32 and edge 46 at opening 62. This tension will cause the material immediately at recess I08 to assume a trough-like formation. The material, deformed from its usual flat state, will bear against edges H6 and H8 with its one face. Effective friction of the material against these edges will vary, of course, according to the amount of material bearing against the respective edges. As this frictional force brought to bear upon the material at one or the other edges of the recesses and against the side walls of the trough varies, the tendency will be to arrive at an equalization of the frictional forces acting at the two sides of the recess. Thus the tendency will be to cause the trough formation to become symmetrical as the lining material continues to feed to the stitching means, and thus that portion of lining 30 moving upon bed I6 will be forced into a position where its axis of symmetry 36 will be aligned with line 38 of stitching being produced by the stitching means in the superimposed layers of lining, tape, and body fabric.

In Figs. 9 and 10, a modified guiding means I36 is shown. In this case, plates I38 and I40 are fixed together so that plate I46 extends beyond plate I38 sufiiciently so that portion I42 of plate I40 may be positioned upon bed I44 with edge I46 of plate I38, the lower plate, spaced from edge I48 of the bed to provide a gap I50. Portion I 42 may have openings I52 through which cap screws or similar securing devices may be extended to engage bed I44 of a sewing machine in order to hold guiding means I36 in position relative to the sewing machine. Adjacent an edge I54 of plate I40, and on top of plate I40 may be positioned a plate I56, secured to extend beyond edge I54 and free of plate I38 to form a passage I58 between plates I38 and I56.

An oblong slot IE is formed adjacent edge I62 of, plate I56 to receive tape I6. A diagonal slit I64 may be cut in plate I56 from edge I62 to slot I60, the slit opening at edge I62 and into slot I60 so that the tape may be slid through slit I64, and into slot I60, for properly guided movement up to the stitching means. Preferably, the tape will be positioned so that portion I66 advancing to the slot and toward the machine will be on top surface I68 of plate I56, while portion I'I0 advancing from slot I60 will be beneath plate I56, but beyond edge I46.

Body fabric 20, on the other hand, may be engaged by an edge guide I12. This edge guide may be retained in position by means of nut II4 engaged upon a screw I'I6 fixed in plates I40 and I56. The body fabric may be positioned wholly upon surface I68, and will thus feed together with portion I68 of the tape up to the slot, but each will be guided in straight lines positively and independently.

Plate I38 also extends beyond edge I54 to provide means for guiding lining 30. This extension I'I8 may have a recess I80 similar to the trough formation in wall I02. While wall I02 is disposed substantially vertically, in this instance, however, extension H8 is disposed horizontally. Extension I'I8' may have a straight edge I82 facing in the direction from which fabric moves towards the guiding means. Edge I82 may be bevelled in the same manner as edge H0, and may have associated short edges I84, all cooperating to form a shallow recess similar to recess II4. Edges I88 diverge from edges I84 to define a trough. A bracket I90, secured to bottom face I92 of plate I38, may carry an arm I94 upon a pivot I96 which cooperates with arm and bracket to fix the position of the arm. On the arm is disposed a rod I98. Rod I88 may support material in guiding relation to edges I82 and I88, and may be moved with relation to these edges to vary the tension placed upon the fabric being deformed by edges I82 and I88. Lining 30 is passed beneath rod I98 from the side of the rod towards the sewing machine, and then may be bent into the trough of edges I82 and I88, and then forwardly and up over edge I48 of the bed. The end of rod I98 may be tapered and extension I'I8 may have an angularly disposed edge 200 leading up to edge I88 so that the lining may be manipulated into position with ease. The lining is shown in Fig. 10 as if it were spaced away from rod I98. However, this view is in section, and this relation results from the formation imparted to the fabric by passing through the trough of edges I82 and I88.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13, a guiding means 202 of modified construction is shown. Such construction may include a plate 204 having openings 206 through which suitable securing devices may be extended to be engaged in the bed of a sewing machine in order to fix the plate in relation to the top face of the bed of the machine, plate 204 extending forwardly from and free of the bed. Fixed to, and retained spaced from top surface 208 of, plate 204 by means of a spacer strip 2 I0, is a plate 2I2. Plate 2I2 extends beyond strip 2I0 and is spaced from plate 204 so as to define a passage 2I4 between plates 204 and 2I2. An oblong slot 2I6 may be formed in plate 2I2 at a position spaced from strip 2I0. This slot, like slot I60, serves to receive and guide tape I6. A slit 2I8 opens at an edge of plate 2I2 and into slot 2I6, to provide means for guiding the tape into associated relation in slot 2 I 6. An edge guide 220 may be positioned on top of plate 2 I2 to guide body fabric 20 in its movement to the stitching means.

Plate 204 may have formed therein an opening 222 comprising three sections 224, 226, and 228. Section 224 of the opening is positioned substantially immediately below and parallel to opening 2I6, but is greater in extent than opening 2I6. Sections 226 and 2'28 diverge from the ends of section 224, and in the direction opposite to the direction of feed. Section 226 terminates at a distance from section 224, while section 228 extends to and opens at edge 230 of plate 204 so that lining 30 may be moved into guided position within opening 222. At edges 232 and 234 of sections 228 and 226, respectively, bottom face 236 of plate 204 is built up, or, if desired, a pair of members may be secured to bottom face 236, to form a trough 238. In the instance shown, a pair of tapering walls 240 and 242 are afiixed at edges 232 and 234 to converge and taper towards each other, towards bottom face 236, and towards section 224. In advance of walls 240 and 242 is positioned an arm 244, pivotally carried by a bracket 246 fixed to face 236. Arm 244 may move towards and away from walls 240 and 242 for varying the tension upon material moving p to opening 222. Arm 248 serves to support the lining at a distance from bottom face 236 sothat walls 240 and 242 and opening 222 will have the desired trough-formin effect upon the material, in order to produce the desired drag upon the material for moving it into a centralized position.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the method of operation set forth, and in specific details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention defined in the claims, the specific description being merely of operative embodiments capable of illustrating certain principles of the invention.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with means for producing a line of stitching, a pair of plates positioned one above the other to form a passage for guiding fabric to the producing means, means between the plates for restricting the passage to guide fabric of limited width, means extending downwardly from the lower plate to provide a guide for fabric, the guide having an edge formed to converge upwardly substantially uniformly towards the lower plate, the position of maximum convergence being immediately below the passage, and means for retaining fabric in position for feeding contact with the edge, the edge and the retaining means cooperating with the plates to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that the center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the centor-line of the, passage. 7

2. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with means for producing a line of stitching, a pair of plates positioned one above the other to form a passage for guiding fabric to the producing means, means extending from one plate towards the otherplate for restrictingthe passage to guide fabric of limited width, means extending outwardly from one of the plates to provide a guide for fabric, the extending means having an edge formed to converge substantially uniformly towards the plate from which the extending means extends, the position of maximum convergence being immediately adjacent the passage, and means for retaining fabric in position for feeding over the edge, the edge and the retaining means cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that the center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the center-line of the passageway.

3. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with means for producing a line of stitching, a plate positioned in advance of, and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the stitching producing means, a wall extending substantially perpendicularly to the plate and the plane of feed so that a free edge of the wall is positioned at a distance removed from the plane of feed, and extends transversely of the direction of the line of stitching, the edge being formed to converge substantially uniformly from both sides of the direction of the line of stitching towards the plane of feed so that the position of maximum convergence is immediately adjacent to the plate, and means for retaining fabric to be'stitched so that the fabric is trained to maintain contact with the edge as the fabric moves to the stitching producing means, the edge and the retaining means cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that its center-line'bf symmetry maintains alignment with the centerline of the line of stitching.

4. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combinationwith means for producing a line of stitching, a plate positioned in advance of, and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the stitching producing means, a wall extending from the plate at a position immediately at an edge of the plate, the extent of the wall being transversely of the plate and the plane of feed, the wall presenting a free edge extending transversely of the direction of the line of stitching, the wall edge having portions converging substantially uniformly towards the plane of feed so that the position of maximum convergence is immediately adjacent to the plate, and means for retaining fabric to be stitched so that it is trained to maintain contact with the wall edge as it moves to the stitching producing means, the wall edge and the retaining means cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that its center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the centerline of the line of stitching.

5. Inapparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination With a sewing machine for producing a line of stitching, the machine having a bed over which fabric to be stitched moves to the stitching mechanism of the machine, a plate positioned at an edge of the bed so that its top surface is substantially. in the plane of the bed, means extending transversely of the plate and the plane of the bed, the extendingmeans providing an edge extending transversely of the direction of the line of stitching, the edge being formed to converge substantially uniformly from both sides of the direction of the line of stitching towards the plane of the bed so that the position of maximum convergence is immediately adjacent to the plate, and means for retaining fabric to be stitched so that it is trained to maintain contact with the edge as it moves to the bed, the edge and the retaining means cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that its centerline of symmetry maintains alignmentwith the center-line of the line of stitching.

6. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with a sewing machine for producing a line of stitching, the machine having a bed over which fabric to be stitched moves to the stitching mechanism of the machine, a plate positioned in advance of, and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the bed and so that an edge of the plate is spaced from an edge -of the bed, a wall extending substantially per- I pendicularly to the plate, the wall presenting a free edge extending transversely of the direction of the line of stitching and at a distance removed from the plane of the bed, the wall edge having the form of a trough the portions of which converge substantially uniformly towards the plane of the bed, and means for retaining fabric to be stitched so that'it is trained to maintain contact with the wall edge as it moves to the stitching producing means, the wall edge and the retaining means cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of nonuniform width so that its center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the center-line of the line of stitching. Y

"7. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with a sewing machine for producing a line of stitching, the machine having a bed over which fabric to be stitched moves tothe stitching mechanism of the machine, a plate psitioned in advance of, and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the bed and so that an edge of the plate is spaced from an edge of the bed, a wall extending substantially perpendicularly to the plate, the wall presenting a free edge extending transversely of the direction of the line of'stitching and at a distance removed from the plane of the bed, the wall edge having the form of a trough the portions of which converge substantially uniformly towards the plane of the bed, and an arm positioned adjacent the wall for retaining fabric to be stitched so that it is trained to maintain contact with the wall edge as it moves to the stitching producing means, the wall edge and the arm cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that its center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the center-line of the line of stitching.

8. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in'

combination with a sewing machine for producing a line of stitching, the machine having a bed over which fabric to be stitched moves to the stitching mechanism of the machine, a plate positioned-in advance of,'and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the bed and so that an edge of the plate is spaced from an edge of the bed, a wall extending substantially perpendicularly to the plate, the wall presenting a free edge extending transversely of the direction of the line of stitching and at a distance removed fro-mthe plane of the bed, the wall edge having the form of a trough the portions of which converge substantially unliformly towards the plane of the bed; and an arm positioned adjacent and substantially parallel to the wall, fabric to' be stitched being trained over the arm and between the arm and the Wall to maintain contact with the wall edge as the fabric moves to the stitching producing means, the wall edge and the arm cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that its center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the center-line of the line of stitching.

9. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with a-sewing machine for producing a line of stitching, the machine having a bed over which fabric to be stitched moves to the stitching mechanism of the machine, a plate positioned in advance of, and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the bed and so that an edge of the plate is spaced from an edge of the bed, a Wall extending substantially perpendicularly to the plate, the wall presenting a free edge extending transversely of the direction of the line of stitching and at a distance removed from the plane of the bed, the wall edge having the form of a trough the portions of which converge substantially uniformly towards the plane of the bed, and an arm positioned adjacent the wall and pivotally mounted to move towards and away from the wall for retaining fabric to be stitched so that it is trained over to maintain contact with the wall edge as it moves to the stitching producing means, the wall edge and the arm cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform width so that its center-line of symmetry mainta'ins alignment with the center-line of the line of stitching.

10. In apparatus for neck-tie manufacture, in combination with a sewing machine for producing a line of stitching, a plate positioned in advance of, and substantially in the plane of feed of fabric to, the stitching producing means, the plate having means for imparting a non-planar formation to fabric fed past the plate and to the stitching producing means for causing the fabric to move substantially in a constant direction with relation to the stitching producing means, and an arm positioned adjacent the non-planarformation-imparting means and pivotally mounted to move towards and away, from the nonplanar-formation-imparting means, fabric to be stitched being trained over the arm and the nonplanar-formation-imparting means and between the arm and the plate, the non-planar-formation-imparting means and the arm cooperating to guide fabric of substantially symmetrical formation but of non-uniform Width so that its center-line of symmetry maintains alignment with the center-line of the line of stitching.

, JOSEPH SCHIFTER. 

